In Ukraine a group to combat domestic violence: how they work and what you can achieve

The Ministry of internal Affairs launched a pilot project police network in combating domestic violence – “POLINA”. First mobile group will work in selected districts of Kiev and Odessa, and also in Severodonetsk. However, they can take exactly the same actions as before due to the fact that their powers are governed by the same law, said the lawyer.

The main tasks of the National police in this area are the timely detection of cases of domestic violence, the correct response, providing adequate protection of victims and prevention of similar occurrences in the future.

In Ukraine it is known only about 10% of all cases of domestic and gender-based violence, said Deputy Minister of internal Affairs on issues of European integration Anastasia Deeva. Victims very rarely report these facts for various reasons. Victims of such action fear and condemnation of the public and that violence will happen again, she said.

We want to make the timely detection of cases of domestic violence is a priori effective

“Every day dozens of women from all over Ukraine to seek help. They’re not even asking for protection because they do not believe that will be able to get it. They ask for legal assistance or, at least, a place where they can hide for a time with your child. They just want someone to support them and said that they are not alone in this problem, Deeva – We want to make the timely detection of cases of domestic violence is a priori efficient. In order, starting with the Manager 102 and ending the patrol police mobile groups, social employees, all had a clear pattern of cooperation among themselves for the safety of the victim,” says Deeva.

New mobile groups that begin to work within the framework of the pilot project, the majority will be formed from women officers of the divisions of prevention (precinct officers and juvenile prevention), investigators, criminal investigation and patrol that passed selection and special training.

“The groups will work according to a clear algorithm of interaction with operators, line 102, patrol police and social services. The basis of this algorithm practice case management — a personalised approach to working with victims in each individual case, taking into account their interests and best international practices,” said Deeva.

After treatment on line 102 first on call will come the crew of the patrol police, which will deal with the initial recording of the incident. Then a district police officer, if the event involved child – and the staff of juvenile prevention. If the criminal offence was committed, it will come and also the investigators and the police, says the Deputy chief of Department of district police officers of the Department of prevention Department, preventive activity of the national police Vasily Bogdan.

Infographics: mvs.gov.ua

But while mobile groups will operate in only three cities in the Darnytsia district of Kiev, in the Malinovsky district of Odessa and the city of Severodonetsk (Lugansk region). The first results of their work will be announced in October 2017, after which the project will be expanded to the whole of Ukraine.

Mobile teams can only work within the law: for violence provided community service or administrative arrest

At the moment the issue of domestic violence in Ukraine is regulated only at the level of Code of Ukraine about administrative violations, says the lawyer, an employee of the legal company “Kasyanenko and partners” Irena Calovska. In the form of penalties Code provides 30-40 hours of community service or arrest for a term up to seven days. If during the year an act of violence is repeated, the culprit could face from 40 to 60 hours of community service and imprisonment for up to 15 days. And regulations of this law will determine the work of mobile groups as well as determined and the work of other divisions of the police earlier, she said.

The mobile groups will do the same thing that was done before the police officers in the force of law by virtue of the powers which they have

“Mobile teams will do the same thing that was done before the police officers in the force of law by virtue of the powers that they have, “she says,” Beyond the current legislation they will not step over”.

According to the lawyer, the pilot project is planned under the bills, which is currently in Parliament and passed its first reading. We are talking about bill No. 5294 “On prevention and counteraction to domestic violence” and No. 4952 “On amendments to some laws of Ukraine in connection with ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on combating violence against women and domestic violence, and combat these phenomena.”

Thus, the draft law No. 5294 provides for the extension of the powers of the National police. The police will be able to issue an urgent restraining order against the offender, that is, for example, order urgently to him to leave the home, prohibit contact with the victim. Such a prescription is given for 10 days, said Scislowska. Also the police will be able to put you in preventive care, spend preventive work. Also, the draft law envisages the introduction of the Unified state register of cases of domestic violence, which will be recorded case of violence, the perpetrator and description of the incident situation. This register will access and guardianship, services for the protection of children, police.

“These mobile groups plan to try, the bill for which, in principle, will vote, because he recommended to be adopted at the European level”, – said the expert.

Bill No. 4952 envisages a number of amendments to the criminal Code of Ukraine – detail articles associated with the beating, rape and criminalization of domestic violence, namely the limitation or deprivation of liberty for a term up to five years. This will allow the investigation of such cases by law enforcement agencies and to pass sentence, said Scislowska.